Who says tennis stars can’t have fun? Coco Gauff is all about family time! From church outings to visiting the South Florida Fair, the Gauffs have cherished every moment together since last January. And, just before her Indian Wells showdown, the former US Open champion gave fans another glimpse of their family traditions. This time, though, an epic “old vs. new school” board game showdown with her parents and tennis-star brother, Christopher Eubanks. But what classic game had them all so locked in?
The American third seed, Coco Gauff’s love for card games, especially UNO, has been a staple of her family’s bonding time, setting her apart from other athletes of the game. Back in the 2020 AO, the 20-year-old revealed that playing cards with her parents was part of her ‘nightly routine’, an unusual yet cherished tradition within the family. From time to time, the Gauff family has been seen embracing their favorite pastime, with Coco even crediting her mom for “letting her win at UNO” after her dominant China Open victory last year.
The ritual continues to serve as a comforting escape for the family, especially during long, isolated tournament swings like the Asian circuit. True to tradition, the Gauffs were at it again before Coco’s R64 match at Indian Wells, indulging in yet another round of their favorite game on the boards. However, this time, Gauff’s card game ritual took on a new twist, highlighting a “battle of generations”.
Just a few hours ago, the 9-time WTA singles winner shared a video of her parents, Candi and Corey Gauff, facing off Chris Eubanks, and his beloved, Anna Mitchell, in a game of spades. She quoted, “@ae.mitch @chris_eubanks96 @candigauff @coreygauff old school vs new school in spades lol old school just ran a Boston.” In spades, “running a Boston” means a team or player successfully bids and takes all 13 tricks in a single round, regardless of the specific cards held.
Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – August 26, 2024 Coco Gauff of the U.S. reacts during her first round match against France’s Varvara Gracheva REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Just as Coco shared the video, her mother Candi, a former track and field player at Florida State University, re-shared the video. Anna, the beloved of Chris, did the same, adding, “@chris_eubanks96 and I got schooled we’ll be back tho”.
Christopher Eubanks, the American tennis ace, who on 4th March got eliminated by Nikoloz Basilashvili in the Indian Wells Qualifiers in straight sets, also re-shared the video twice, once captioning, “@candigauff is HOWLINGGG ” and then “Embarrassing stuff. I should’ve just taken the one we had. Gamble and lost… My bad @ae.mitch.”
Coco’s family and the ATP star Chris Eubanks have shared a close bond for years, having once been neighbors to each other. Their connection grew to an extend that they even teamed up for mixed doubles at the 2018 US Open. Over time, they’ve become like a ‘second family’ to each other.
On the flip side, as Gauff gears up for her BNP Paribas Open campaign starting tomorrow, the young star remains optimistic, ready to silence doubters and make a powerful statement on the court.
“I can’t win every match,” Coco Gauff on her season so far at the WTA tour
Coco Gauff has faced a challenging run on the WTA Tour lately, enduring three consecutive straight-set defeats. Her rough patch began with a QF loss to Paula Badosa at the Happy Slam, followed by setbacks against ‘Marta Kostyuk’ at the Qatar Open (6-2, 7-5) and ‘McCartney Kessler’ at the Dubai Tennis Championships (6-4, 7-5). These stumbles have sparked discussions, especially considering her dominant form in the later stages of 2024, securing titles at the China Open, as well as the WTA Finals while leading Team USA to United Cup glory in Sidney before AO. Yet, Gauff remains unfazed before the Open in the California desert.
Speaking to the pre-match press conference at the Indian Wells, Coco added, “I don’t know, everybody makes a bigger deal than what it is… I lost two matches. I’ll lose more matches back to back, it’s going to happen. Everyone is, like, ‘Oh, she’s sinking.’ Okay, we’ve been through this. I’ll pick it back up. To me, for me I guess it feels like a month but it’s just two tournaments, and at this calendar I have so many other opportunities, and I can’t win every match.”
In the same interview, Coco acknowledged that setbacks are more of an inevitable part of any athlete’s journey. She also admitted that she anticipates facing consecutive losses again at some point in her professional career. “Hopefully it doesn’t happen too many times in my career. You know the results will come. It’s, you know, just normal, I think,” Coco added.
Coco, a semifinalist at the BNP Paribas Open last year, is poised to kick off her campaign on Saturday after receiving an opening-round bye in the tournament. A potential showdown awaits in the 2nd round, where she could face a former Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu only if the Brit navigates past Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in her opener. Do you think the Florida native can go deeper into the tournament this time? Share your thoughts below!
The post Coco Gauff’s ‘Old School’ Parents Thump Her Tennis Brother Chris Eubanks and His GF in a Fun Family Timeout appeared first on EssentiallySports.
